In advance of internationally agreed mechanisms, it is necessary to test approaches and build capacity in developing countries. At the climate change negotiations in Poznan last December the UK announced up to £100 million from the International Window of the Environmental Transformation Fund to support such work.
This is in addition to a £15 million contribution to the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility which assists developing countries in working out how they can participate in and benefit from evolving incentive mechanisms for avoided deforestation. The UK has also committed £60 million to help reduce deforestation and poverty in the Congo Basin. The Congo Basin Forest Fund, launched in June 2008, will support transformative and innovative proposals from the countries of the Congo Basin and civil society to slow the rate of deforestation.
In addition, smaller sums of money have been committed from the budgets of DECC, DEFRA, DFID and the FCO.